1. “PS…Can You Hear Me Now?” - How to Succeed at Public Speaking Steve Wise August 2011

3. While being a nightmare to othersHow you approach such events and the actions that you take to prepare will be critical to your success. This training presentation offers what I have found to be keys to succeed at Public Speaking (PS)…along my way. 2

4. “PS…Can You Hear Me Now?" Be Prepared You are Not the Expert Know Your Media Show Your “Colors” Manage Your Time Get Your People Involved Embrace and Learn from you’re Your Opportunities 3

5. Be Prepared What You Put Into It – will often determine …What Your People Get Out of It

6. PS… Be Prepared REPEATING…What you put into your Speaking engagement – With this said – how do you go about preparing to Speak to Others? My Offerings  1) Set Goals, 2) Know Your Audience, 3) then Prepare Accordingly. Will often determine what Your People get out of it – ** SO BE PREPARED ** 5

7. PS… Be Prepared SET GOALS: I believe that as a Speaker on a Topic – you should strive to accomplish the following: Engage Your Audience – Get them Involved Speak about something of Interest / Betterment Talk to your Audience / Be Understandable Add value to the Time that your People spend Strive to give Your People – “Take-aways” 6

8. PS… Be Prepared KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE: In order for you to connect with whom you are speaking to – you should know something about them: Makeup – i.e., Company Background, Types / Levels of Positions, & Departments involved How does your Subject relate to what they do or what they are responsible for Mandatory or Willing Attendance What are they seeking to Learn / Hear from You 7

9. PS… Be Prepared PREPARE ACCORDINGLY: Prepare your Talk to address your Goals & Speak to your People: Decide on your Talking Points Set an Agenda Limit your Talk to your Time Allotment Identify how to get your People Involved Be prepared to Speak with Minimal Notes 8

10. PS…Be Prepared 9

11. Know that You are Not the Expert Share what You Know – rather than Show what You Know

13. PS…You Are Not the Expert My Example – Shortly after becoming my Division’s Safety Manager – I was conducting a Safety Training Class on “Welding Safety.” I knew this topic well enough to teach from a Workplace Safety standpoint – but it was one in which I have never actually performed myself in live work conditions. My audience was made up of People that did this for a living and had performed such operations 100’s of times before. 12

14. PS…You Are Not the Expert My Example (con’t) – About 5 minutes into my training presentation – one of the most senior Production Mechanics stood up and asked – “What do you know about this since you haven’t done this job before?” From that incident, I learned – That there will be People in my audience that will know more than me, And that I had to be thoroughly prepared in order to provide my People “take-aways.” 13

16. PS…You Are Not the Expert My Advice – BE COMFORTABLE – enough to talk about your subject – do your homework in advance and be prepared. Q&A – be prepared for questions and for those that you may not be able to answer. Not being able to answer a question is okay – but commit to finding out the answer and getting back to the person so asking. 15

17. PS…You Are Not the Expert My Advice (con’t) – BE RECEPTIVE TO INPUT – expect, encourage, and accept comments, suggestions, and recommendations from your People so willing to share. Not only will such offers add Value to what you are presenting… But it will encourage others to participate in and pay attention to what is being said. 16

18. PS…You Are Not the Expert My Advice (con’t) – SHARE YOUR KNOWLEDGE– even though you may not be “the expert” on your topic – seek to share what you know / have experienced with others: Not only will you be helping to improve the performance of others, Such actions could help advance your causes, mission, and responsibilities. 17

19. PS…You are Not the Expert 18

20. Be Familiar with your Tools …to help Ensure a Smooth Presentation Know Your Media

21. PS…Know Your Media My Example – I was asked to give a presentation on the efforts of my organization’s Quality Improvement Team that I was chairing. My practice before any Speaking engagement was to test out and be familiar with the presentation media in place. I was running a bit tight on time and just assumed that it was the standard that my organization used…Well it was not. 20

22. PS…Know Your Media My Example (con’t) – As I started my talk and presentation, I went to flip to my section and could not. 50 + People in attendance were watching me trying to figure it out. I ended up asking a fellow worker that I knew would know –to help me. So I started my talk a bit flustered and embarrassed – especially since I always considered myself computer savvy. 21

23. PS…Know Your Media My Offerings – Make sure to request that your Media (i.e., Laptop, Projector / Video, and Audio) – are set up and working no less than 30 minutes prior to your start. Arrive early (15 to 30 minutes prior) to set up your Presentation and test the Media features – i.e., Slide Advancement, Sound Levels, Toggle Keys, etc. GET & BE FAMILIAR WITH THEM! 22

24. PS…Know Your Media My Offerings (con’t) – Bring a backup Storage Disk containing your Presentations materials – i.e., Flash Drive, extra CD – for the “just in case.” If you are speaking at an unfamiliar place – bring your own Media Tools as a backup – that can interface universally. Find out if the Media Tools lock you in one place – i.e., standing at the Podium. 23

26. How Loud do you have to talk for all People to hear you?Request Remote Media Controls in advance – to allow you to walk and talk…and get your People involved. 24

27. PS…Know Your Media 25

28. “Show Your Colors” Show Your Passion & Energy for Your Topic …“Pass It On” to Your People

29. PS…“Show Your Colors” Have you ever attended a Presentation that was strictly one-sided and delivered in a very boring manner? Chances are that you have. Next Question – What do you remember taking away from it? Chances are not much. I believe that to be successful at Public Speaking and making Presentations – YOU as the Speaker must – “SHOW YOURCOLORS” 27

30. PS…“Show Your Colors” There are different ways that you as the Speaker can “Show Your Colors” when speaking. Such a suggestion or action is normally personal in nature. One thing for most of us – is that we can remember what Speakers and Teachers that we had – that had the biggest impact on us. And by being impacted – there is a high chance that you took something away from it. 28

31. PS…“Show Your Colors” My Memories….Two of my College Instructors come to mind that left an indelible memory on me – Larry Seits / English Larry was an Instructor that was very animated. He would literally hop around the room and shout what he was teaching. He brought a lot of enthusiasm to the classroom…and NO ONE slept thru his teachings. Mrs. Divegnead / Art Appreciation Mrs. D was the type of Instructor that spoke with so much passion for her subject…that it spread. She could easily transform a classroom of students who did not like Art – to be the hardest working Art Students around. 29

32. PS…“Show Your Colors” 30

33. PS…“Show Your Colors” 31

34. PS…“Show Your Colors” 32

35. Structure Your Presentation to the Time Frame that You are Given Manage Your Time

38. It forces you to talk too fast in order to cover what you want to say.

39. And prevents you from asking for and receiving input and participation.So when preparing for your PS endeavor – remember that – LESS IS MORE. 35

42. Be able and aggressive if needed – to redirect your discussion back to your Subject Matter.37

44. PS…Manage Your Time 39

45. Engaging Your People = “Take Aways” Get Your People Involved

48. I have sat through too many sessions where the Speaker used 1-way communication to present their topic.

49. The problem that I have with this type of public speaking – is that I do not feel that those in attendance – take anything away.42

51. Such Personnel in attendance will number about 50 People and will include both Senior Staff and Administrative Positions.

52. Your Goal of your talk is not only to acquaint those attending with what your Committee does – but also to solicit their participation.43

54. Most of those in attendance have heard about your Committee but have not really had any direct contact with nor seen your results.

55. Your presentation tools will include a Laptop, Projection Screen, and a Podium with Mic.

56. QUESTION – How Do You Present to not only get their Interest – but to spur their Participation?44

58. Plus People will try to be prepared and pay attention just in case you call upon them next.

59. If they don’t have the Answer – then you should quickly answer for them to refocus back on you.45

65. Not only will such action show that you have that connection with them,

66. But that their actions and achievements matter and that they are appreciated. 48

68. But if your time is tight – my suggestion is to hold them until the end.

69. Allowing for Q&A will not only answer any Questions that your People may have on your matter – but also helps them to buy into what you are offering. 49

70. PS…Get Your People Involved 50

71. PS Endeavors…should always be Used as a Learning Tool Embrace and Learn from Your Opportunities

73. But I would memorize what I had to say ahead of time – then come off as very stiff when I made my presentation.Now after many PS experiences – I feel that I can do so with my eyes closed. 52

74. PS…Embrace & Learn From If I were asked to only give you one recommendation here, I would say – Take advantage of every Public Speaking Engagement that is offered to you …because the more that you Publically Speak - the easier that it will get for You 53

75. PS…Embrace & Learn From My Memory – Again going back a few years – when I took Speech Class back in College, our Instructor required us to give a 5 Minute talk as our Final Exam. One of my fellow Students did his talk on “How to Roll a Joint.” He demoed his subject with Tabaco while the rest of us sat stunned and watched in amazement. But what I learned from him – was that when you speak publically – HAVE FUN! 54

79. PS…Embrace & Learn from Your Opportunities 57

80. “PS…Can You Hear Me Now?” I hope that this Training Presentation was able to offer you something that you can – “Take Away” and use. My purpose is to pass on any Knowledge and Experience that I can to others – so that they can learn and benefit from. If you have any comments that you would like to pass my way – please do so. 58

81. “PS…Can You Hear Me Now?” Now go out and have fun with your Public Speaking endeavors… …and pass your Knowledge and Experience on! Steve Wise sdwiser@comcast.net 59